Selective Detection of Vapor Phase Hydrogen Peroxide with Phthalocyanine Chemiresistors

Abstract

The use of hydrogen peroxide as a precursor to improvised explosives has made its detection a topic of critical importance. Chemiresistor arrays comprised of 50 nm thick films of metallophthalocyanines (MPcs) are redox selective vapor sensors of hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is shown to decrease currents in cobalt phthalocyanine sensors while it increases currents in nickel, copper, and metal-free phthalocyanine sensors; oxidation and reduction of hydrogen peroxide via catalysis at the phthalocyanine surface are consistent with the pattern of sensor responses. This represents the first example of MPc vapor sensors being oxidized and reduced by the same analyte by varying the metal center. Consequently, differential analysis by redox contrast with catalytic amplification using a small array of sensors may be used to uniquely identify peroxide vapors. Metallophthalocyanine chemiresistors represent an improvement over existing peroxide vapor detection technologies in durability and selectivity in a greatly decreased package size.

Enhanced Cl2 sensitivity of cobalt-phthalocyanine film by utilizing a porous nanostructured surface fabricated on glass

“…[5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] MPcs show many advantages over metal oxides and other inorganic materials such as high sensitivity, fast response, low operating temperature and ability to detect the toxic gas down to ppb level. 11,13,14 In the last few years, many efforts have been devoted to improve the sensitivity as well as low detection limit of the phthalocyanine based gas sensors. For instance, Miyata et al investigated that CuPc and MgPc based gas sensors can detect Cl 2 down to 180 ppb concentration, and it has been shown that the sensitivity could be maximized by optimizing the lm thickness and operating temperature.…”

The Molecular Controlled Semiconductor Resistor: A Universal Sensory Technology

“…Various types of detectors for TATP have already been described. [16][17][18][19][20][21] In some cases, a solid trace of the material is detected, [22] whereas in other cases detection is performed by complexation reactions during desorption electrospray ionization. [23] A theoretical approach has also been suggested, [24] in which TATP forms a complex with adsorbed molecules.…”

Thin-film SnO<sub>2</sub> and ZnO detectors of hydrogen peroxide vapors

“…The checking of the HPV phase is also crucially significant in connection with counterterrorism efforts. The sensors sensitive to HPV may find application in the detection of peroxide-based explosives (Bohrer et al, 2008;Mills et al, 2009).…”

“…The near-infrared spectrophotometry was used for the monitoring of the concentration of HPV in the course of sterilization (Corveleyn et al, 1997). The chemiresistive films made from organic p-type semiconducting phthalocyanines metalized with elements of p-, d-, and f -blocks were sensitive to HPV (Bohrer et al, 2008). An amperometric sensor for detection of HPV made of an agarose-coated Prussian-blue modified thick-film screen-printed carbon-electrode transducer was investigated (Benedet et al, 2009).…”